Keep It Light

Keep It Light

In a time when people increasingly focus on extraordinary or charismatic manifestations of the Holy Spirit, this book serves as a gentle reminder of the hidden work of the Holy Spirit in the ambiguity and “stuff”of life itself.

Centuries of the Christian tradition, to say nothing of the Scriptures -especially the Psalms – attest to the presence of the Spirit guiding people through experiences of struggle and adversity.

In this book Larry Kaufmann explores the grace of the Holy Spirit at work in very human realities such as depression, illness, suffering injustice, loneliness, and relationship breakdown. Each chapter includes practical suggestions for prayer.

Description

Fr Larry Kaufmann CSsr

2 reviews for Keep It Light

Janet Cholwill–September 26, 2017

The sub-title of this 84-page book by the well known South African Redemptorist missioner, Fr Larry Kaufmann, succinctly states its purpose.
In his introduction, the author writes, “This book and each of its eight chapters rests on a single foundational principle: The only spiritual life is life itself in all its ambiguity and pain; its hopes and dreams. The “spiritual” part of “spiritual life” does not discard our humanity or put us onto some sort of angelic plane. For the Christian it refers to the grace and working of the Holy Spirit at the heart of human existence itself. Grace builds on nature. Grace does not replace nature.”
This means the spiritual life is open to everyone, not only to the clergy and religious. Those who have attended a parish mission conducted by Fr Kaufmann throughout the length and breadth of our country in recent years are familiar not only with his clear and enticing style of preaching but also his practical teaching in his optional school of prayer offered every morning after the second parish Mass.
This school exposes participants each day to different methods of prayer. With such an emphasis on prayer in his parish missions, it is not surprising Fr Kaufmann concludes each chapter of his latest book with an ancient prayer from our Judeo-Christian tradition, a Psalm, that reflects beautifully the essential content of his presentation.
As I read this book, I grew in my own sense of its developing mood of prayer interwoven in everything Fr Kaufmann records.
The chapter headings strikingly illustrate the author’s sensitivity to life’s limitations and brokenness. What makes Fr Kaufmann’s narrative authentic is his sharing events from his own life to illustrate his message.
Thus, in his first chapter on depression he admits that as a growing boy, if post-natal depression had been more freely spoken about, in his later childhood and early teens he might have been more understanding of his mother after each of his younger four siblings were born.
In his chapter on healing memories, Fr Kaufmann recounts a memory from the time he spent in hospital as a four-year-old boy. When his parents bade him farewell after visiting hour, he thought they were actually abandoning him. This misunderstanding was healed only in his adult years.
Similarly, in his chapter on suffering and injustice, Fr Kaufmann shares his experience in 1986 of being incarcerated in Pietermaritzburg prison for two weeks. The injustice he suffered was owing to his pastoral care for striking worker of the Sarmcol rubber factory in Howick, several of whom were his parishioners.
A particularly touching incident of Fr Kaufmann’s imprisonment was what his father, Anthony, inscribed in a copy of the Bible he brought him in prison, To Larry, Matthew 3:17, Your Dad. When Larry checked that text he found that his father had highlighted it, “You are my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.”
In the spirit of Fr Kaufmann’s openness to his own human vulnerability I might say in the light of my minor stroke in July this year how valuable I found his chapter on debilitating illness.
Appropriately, a confrere of Fr Kaufmann, deaf and blind Fr Cyril Axelrod writes the book’s foreword. In coming to terms with his physical impairments, Fr Axelrod describes them as God’s special gifts to him.
Significantly the last section of the book’s final chapter states again, “The only spiritual life is life itself.” Once more this emphasizes that this book is intended for everyone and as such can assist us all in our life long journey.

Reviewed by Fr Kevin Reynolds

Rated 2 out of 5

Grace deLange–October 31, 2017

I wish to order this book and pay by EFT. Thank you
G k deLange

Janet Cholwill–November 1, 2017

Greetings Grace,
Our bankers are Nedbank, Hayfields Branch, Code 134025, Account number 1340396467.
Please useyour order number as a reference when making payment.
Thank you and God bless.